Watch Donald Trump almost get attacked by Uncle Sam the eagle

U.S. Republican presidential front-runner Donald Trump faced an unexpected source of difficulty during a photo shoot over the summer: a bald eagle named Uncle Sam.

The photos feature Trump with the tame, 27-year-old bird — an idea from award-winning photographer Martin Schoeller, whose portraits frequent the pages of Time — and, while the finished product looks slick, getting it was anything but a smooth process. 

When Uncle Sam attacks

A behind-the-scenes video from the shoot released by Time magazine on Wednesday shows the controversial candidate dodging a territorial peck by the ornery eagle. It has been picked apart and turned into widely-shared GIFs and videos like these:

Tump on Time cover: 'Deal with it'

The shoot took place on Aug. 18. The photo Time ultimately chose for the cover carried the phrase "Deal with it" typed across his forehead. Uncle Sam didn't make the cut. At the time, Trump was still a contender for the magazine's "Person of the Year" designation, which ultimately went to German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday. 

Trump knew the risks

"I'm doing this for the cover of Time magazine. I love Time magazine. What you will do for a cover — this bird is seriously dangerous, but beautiful," Trump can be heard saying during the one-minute clip.

Trump faces fallout from Muslim ban comments

Trump, who leads opinion polls in the U.S. Republican presidential primary race, has provoked an international uproar by calling for all Muslims to be blocked from entering the United States after last week's deadly shootings in California by two Muslims who authorities said were radicalized.

In Canada, city councillors and planners in Vancouver and Toronto are pushing to change the names of their respective Trump Tower hotel-condominums.